Optical transceivers include, without restriction, devices known as SFP, SFP+ and XFP devices. Such transceivers have an electrical connection for mating with a slot of the host device, and a fibre connector for connection of a single or multimode optical fibre. The transceivers may be adapted for use with a particular type of fibre, for different optical wavelengths to and from the fibre or for communication over different distances. The transceivers have on-board memory storing firmware data that has an effect on operation of the transceiver, and that may identify the manufacturer of the transceiver. This data may be stored in a flash memory, or EEPROM, on the transceiver. Some manufacturers of host devices seek to restrict users' choice of optical transceiver by programming their host units to query the identity of a transceiver when it is plugged in. The host unit may be programmed so as not to interact with transceivers unless their identity corresponds to a transceiver of that manufacturer.
Prior art documents that came to the attention of the inventors after making the invention include U.S. Pat. No. 8,582,974, US2006/093371 and US2012/0313744.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,582,974 discloses an operational optical transceiver configured to update operational firmware using an optical link of the transceiver. The optical transceiver includes at least one processor and a system memory capable of receiving firmware. The optical transceiver receives an optical signal over the optical link containing the update firmware. The optical transceiver then recovers the firmware from the optical signal. Finally, the optical transceiver provides to the system memory the recovered firmware, which when executed by the at least one processor alters the operation of the transceiver.
US2006/093371 discloses an environment that includes a host computing system (“the host”), a network, a remote computing site, and an optical transceiver having a system memory and at least one processor. The host determines that microcode that governs the behaviour of an optical transceiver is desired to be purchased. A request to purchase the microcode is sent over the network from the host to the remote computing site. The remote computing site responds to this request by providing the host information by which the purchased microcode may be accessed. The host may then access the microcode. Finally, the host provides the microcode to the optical transceiver memory where it may later be executed by the processor.
US2012/0313744 relates to a system and method of re-programming memory, and in particular, to wirelessly re-programming software, such as the application code, residing in memory of a trainable transceiver. The wireless re-programming of memory allows for software in the trainable transceiver to be updated or replaced from a remote location, where a direct or wired connection to the product is not otherwise available.
There is a need to be able to update/change firmware data on an optical transceiver in a simple and controllable way.